2/19/2012
“Thief of Hearts”
No one likes a thief. But we are so advanced today that we now have the means of catching thieves in the act; at least in a small mini-market or small business setting. Employee theft runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Mr. Chris McGoey, a security expert says this about a large number of today’s employees. Quote “Studies have shown that employees can do a lot more damage than shoplifters because they are trusted and have an insider’s knowledge of store security measures.” [Found on www.crimedoctor.com].
What’s more amazing is this. It appears as if the very people who are trained to make sure we follow are the rules, often don’t. As you know, the TSA, the Transportation Security Administration, checks luggage at the airport. These very people are now part of the employee theft circle.
Here are just a few headlines pertaining to the TSA. Just this past month, January 2012, a TSA agent,
Keith Dovel, was charged with stealing several i pads. Apparently he had taken the i pads from luggage at the Dallas Fort Worth, TX airport. One of the people whose i pad had been stolen had an app on it called “Find my i phone.” The police tracked her i pad to Mr. Dovel’s home and, finding the i pad in his home, they arrested Mr. Dovel.
Please open your Bible with me to the Book of II Samuel chapter fifteen and to a man who illustrates a type of “employee theft” only on a much larger scale. This man stole something much greater value than ipads and money. II Samuel 15:1. Please follow me beginning at verse one and look for this thief in action. II Samuel 15:1 “And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. (2) And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. (3) And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. (4) Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! (5) And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. (6) And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”
As you can easily see in this passage, the thief of hearts is a man named Absalom. Absalom was King David’s third born. But Absalom was far from being King David’s favorite. Here’s why. One of the most difficult sins in the lives of those who led the nation of Israel was their immorality. Most, if not all of the kings of the Jewish nation had many wives and concubines; all this in spite of God’s clear command “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
Now, as you know, some people use the Bible for their own ends and claim the following: “Well, King David and his son Solomon had quite a few wives. Why can’t I?” But using the Bible in this fashion has never led to spiritual success or spiritual maturity. What you do find is this. Immorality always takes its victims onto a downward path. This is seen so clearly in the life of King David. Did David have a lot of wives and concubines? Yes, he did. But, beyond the sins of immorality, David’s family relationships were so severely affected that they are recorded in the Bible as our examples of the effects of giving in to temptation. Can you imagine the conflict between the wives? Can you imagine the competition between the siblings? You can only surmise the trouble this family faced after David gave in to the temptation to lust. So, yes, we do see David involved in immorality. But we also see the effects of that sin in his home.
And this was especially true with David’s third son Absalom. No doubt, he despised the firstborn Amnon, who, according to the Scriptures, assaulted Absalom’s sister Tamar. Absalom then took matters into his own hands and contrived a way to kill him. By the time we arrive at this point in David’s life, II Samuel chapter fifteen, Absalom and David have a very strained relationship. Absalom has hated. He has murdered. He has run away. He’s been three years banished from the palace at Jerusalem. Now, allowed back into Jerusalem, his father refuses to speak to him for another two years.
Here’s what we know about Absalom. He’s handsome and, as you can see here in chapter fifteen, he uses his appearance to deceive people. He’s alienated from his father. So, he connives; this time to destroy his father. He’s hateful. He’s vengeful. He’s bold. He’s patient. He’s bitter. He’s unforgiving. He’s retaliatory. And he’s one more thing: lonely. It seems as if Absalom was a man who could never live up to his name.
What’s more amazing is this. It appears as if the very people who are trained to make sure we follow are the rules, often don’t. As you know, the TSA, the Transportation Security Administration, checks luggage at the airport. These very people are now part of the employee theft circle.
Here are just a few headlines pertaining to the TSA. Just this past month, January 2012, a TSA agent,
Keith Dovel, was charged with stealing several i pads. Apparently he had taken the i pads from luggage at the Dallas Fort Worth, TX airport. One of the people whose i pad had been stolen had an app on it called “Find my i phone.” The police tracked her i pad to Mr. Dovel’s home and, finding the i pad in his home, they arrested Mr. Dovel.
Please open your Bible with me to the Book of II Samuel chapter fifteen and to a man who illustrates a type of “employee theft” only on a much larger scale. This man stole something much greater value than ipads and money. II Samuel 15:1. Please follow me beginning at verse one and look for this thief in action. II Samuel 15:1 “And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. (2) And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. (3) And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. (4) Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! (5) And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. (6) And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”
As you can easily see in this passage, the thief of hearts is a man named Absalom. Absalom was King David’s third born. But Absalom was far from being King David’s favorite. Here’s why. One of the most difficult sins in the lives of those who led the nation of Israel was their immorality. Most, if not all of the kings of the Jewish nation had many wives and concubines; all this in spite of God’s clear command “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
Now, as you know, some people use the Bible for their own ends and claim the following: “Well, King David and his son Solomon had quite a few wives. Why can’t I?” But using the Bible in this fashion has never led to spiritual success or spiritual maturity. What you do find is this. Immorality always takes its victims onto a downward path. This is seen so clearly in the life of King David. Did David have a lot of wives and concubines? Yes, he did. But, beyond the sins of immorality, David’s family relationships were so severely affected that they are recorded in the Bible as our examples of the effects of giving in to temptation. Can you imagine the conflict between the wives? Can you imagine the competition between the siblings? You can only surmise the trouble this family faced after David gave in to the temptation to lust. So, yes, we do see David involved in immorality. But we also see the effects of that sin in his home.
And this was especially true with David’s third son Absalom. No doubt, he despised the firstborn Amnon, who, according to the Scriptures, assaulted Absalom’s sister Tamar. Absalom then took matters into his own hands and contrived a way to kill him. By the time we arrive at this point in David’s life, II Samuel chapter fifteen, Absalom and David have a very strained relationship. Absalom has hated. He has murdered. He has run away. He’s been three years banished from the palace at Jerusalem. Now, allowed back into Jerusalem, his father refuses to speak to him for another two years.
Here’s what we know about Absalom. He’s handsome and, as you can see here in chapter fifteen, he uses his appearance to deceive people. He’s alienated from his father. So, he connives; this time to destroy his father. He’s hateful. He’s vengeful. He’s bold. He’s patient. He’s bitter. He’s unforgiving. He’s retaliatory. And he’s one more thing: lonely. It seems as if Absalom was a man who could never live up to his name.